It looks like Hollywood is starting August by confirming that, even though the summer saw audiences mostly reject a boatload of sequels, it’s going to be business as usual, with executives plotting more franchise-building follow-ups.
In a move that’s hardly a surprise, Warner Bros. has formally announced the sequel to “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them,” in what’s expected to be a trilogy. David Yates will be back to direct from a script by J.K. Rowling, and you can probably expect Eddie Redmayne and many of the cast from the film set to open this fall to reprise their roles as well. ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ (title yet to be determined) will open on November 16, 2018.
Meanwhile, Universal isn’t wasting any time gearing up a sequel to “The Secret Life Of Pets.” Screen Daily reports that director Chris Renaud and writer Brian Lynch will be back for the second movie, which will follow the original that has already earned $400 million worldwide, with over 45 more markets to come, including China, where it opens this week. Basically, the studio already knows this thing is printing money, and it wasn’t going to waste any time in getting the follow-up started. ‘Secret Life Of Pets 2’ will arrive on July 13, 2018.